Transformers Prime: Through Hell & Back Again (PREVIEW!)
by xXBlack'BladeXx
Summary: A preview of the sequel to 'Transformers Prime: The Hybrid Theory'. Had some free time, so I thought I'd tease you guys a little bit. ;) This is rated 'K', but the story itself will be rated 'T'.


Optimus' holoform sat in the driver's seat of his vehicular mode and stared out the windshield at the small casino. A strange feeling lingered over his spark; a feeling that was a mixture of pain, fear, desperation, anger, and even vengeance. It was a dark sensation—something he wasn't used to… but he didn't care. In fact he had stopped caring about much of anything the moment he'd discovered the adoption story was a cover for her abduction. He'd stopped caring even less about much of anything when he realized that their sparkbond had been tapped and compromised to make it seem as though she was perfectly fine when she wasn't. And he wasn't going to care about much of anything until she was safely back in his arms.

Still staring at the casino doors, Optimus released a low, rumbling growl as he thought about what was behind those doors. This man they were here for—this… Cody Philips—had played a part in taking her away from him, and now he was going to pay. The Prime would rip his aft apart. And once he was finished with Cody, he would go after anyone else who had been involved or was fool enough to stand in his way. He would teach them all that no one ever tampered with a Cybertronian's young, no matter the age… especially not a Prime's.

Without thinking, Optimus reached up and clutched at the wolf head necklace lying against his chest beneath his shirt, knowing that, somewhere out there, the other half was waiting to be reunited with it; that Hunter was waiting to be reunited with him. "_I'm coming, my shooting star_," he silently called out to her. "_I'm coming and I will find you. I promise._" With that said the Prime opened the door of his cab and his holoform stepped out into the night and began advancing towards the doors. Behind him, he heard the doors of his team's alternate modes open then slam shut and was aware of their presence as they followed closely behind him. "I realize that we are all here for the same cause," he stated, not stopping, or slowing down, or even looking back over his shoulder to address them all, "and that we all want the same outcome, however, I make one request."

"Just name it, O.P.," Epps replied, voicing the opinion of everyone. This was Optimus' battle more than it was anyone of theirs'—he deserved to choose how it would be carried out.

The Prime's holoform's face suddenly darkened to the point that it even would have made Megatron quiver in fear and he bared his teeth in a snarl. "I want Cody Philips first."

* * *

><p>"Cody Philips!" a thunderous voice boomed out through the casino.<p>

The young brown-haired, brown-eyed man nearly jumped a mile out of his seat. He spun around to see a group of men and a woman clearing out the casino, and in the midst of all the exiting bodies standing right before him was a tall, muscular man with thick black hair, a mustache, and freakishly blue eyes glowering right at him as though he could smote him with fire and brimstone. After a moment he recognized the figure. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "I know you! You're…."

"Yes, I am," Optimus quickly cut him off, coming closer to the Blackjack table where the man was seated. He made his way around to the opposite side of the table, picking up Cody's cards as he went by and leafing through them. He tried not to think of all the memories of all the card games Hunter had taught and played with him, poker being one of them. Sitting down in a chair across from Cody, Optimus continued to flip through the cards, shaking his head and tsking his tongue. "You do not seem to have a very noteworthy hand here, son," he remarked, shaking his head. The disguised Cybertronian looked up at the young man and neatly stacked the cards. "In fact I would say that you're…" he tore the cards in half and let them drop to the table top again, "… out of luck."

Cody stared at the ripped cards in both horror and awe before looking back up to see Optimus standing, massive hands splayed on the table on either side of him and supporting all of his weight as he leaned across the table to where he was at near eye level with him. "What are you doing here?" Philips barely managed to gulp.

The ghost of a smile just graced the holoform's lips even as something dangerous gleamed in his eyes. "I've come here to inquire something of you," Optimus replied, voice still pleasant sounding for the moment.

"What's that?"

All at once, the Prime's entire demeanor changed. The mask of pleasantness immediately vanished and was replaced with a dark, foreboding shadow that seemed to loom over the entire room like a great thunderhead. An understated but vicious, primal rumble started deep within his massive chest. Though splayed flat on the tabletop, the holoform's hands seemed to grip onto the table with a stranglehold anyway. Team Prime, Epps, and Will exchanged glances, all knowing that look. All pit was about to break loose. Glaring threateningly into Cody's brown eyes with his own bright blue ones, Optimus leaned in a little bit closer and he growled with great restraint, "Where. Is. My daughter?"


End file.
